Nail Fungus or Athletes Foot?
What are the symptoms of nail fungus?
- Brittle nails or a change in their color.
- A white/yellow or brown discoloration appearing on the front or sides of the nails.
- Nails that become softer, that break more easily or become thicker with a change in their shape.
- Painful areas around the nails.
- The nail starting to detach from the skin or from the nail bed.
- The appearance of white patches on the surface of the nail. These can be large blotches or small dots.
What are the symptoms of athletes foot?
- Itching and soreness on the soles and between toes.
- Burning feet.
- Blisters on the feet that itch.
- Cracking and peel ing of the skin on the feet.
- Drying and scaling.
- Raw skin on the feet.
- Discoloured, thick, and crumbly toenails.
- White and soggy toes.
- Toenails that pull away from the nail bed.
Unfortunately, if left untreated athletes foot can lead to complications...
. These include:
- Scratching infected parts of the skin in the foot may cause infection in the hands.
- Infection from feet can spread to the toe nails in the form of nail fungus.
- The infection can even spread to the groin through hands or towel use.
- Some people show an allergic reaction to the fungus leading to blisters on the foot or hand.
- A secondary bacterial infection.
Restoring your body's pH balance
It can be very helpful when suffering from a fungal infection (whether it is nail fungus or athletes foot) to restore your body's pH balance.
- And top of the list is to remove sugar and grain from your diet. This is because sugar feeds yeast.
- Even whole grains such as oats, rice and quinoa can be a problem but especially avoid the refined grains found in baked goods, bread, cereals, muffins and other packaged and processed foods.
- Alcohol produces more yeast and should be avoided while many alcoholic drinks are also high in sugar.
Eat those foods that support the growth of good bacteria
These include:
- Fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi.
- Probiotic foods such as yogurt, kefir and kombucha plus a probiotic supplement.
- Foods with more fiber, protein and good fats. Protein-rich foods include grass-fed meat, organic eggs or poultry, raw dairy and wild-caught fish. High on the list of healthy fats is coconut oil. Add in flax and chia seeds as other sources of good fat plus being anti-fungal.
- Colorful vegetables are high in nutrients, vitamins and minerals to help heal the gut. You can add these to juices and drinks to (a) improve the immune system and (b) flush waste, toxins and bacteria from the gut.
- Garlic, turmeric and cinnamon will also help to treat bacterial infections and improve your gut health.
- Try unsweetened 100% pure cranberry juice because this can deter the presence of yeast.
If you can follow these guidelines for several months, it can get rid of the problem once and for all. You can even reintroduce fruits and whole grains at a later stage - carefully.
While for some such a diet will do the job after some six months, others might need to eliminate grains, sugar and alcohol permanently.
Other tips for preventing fungal infections in the feet
- Always dry feet and hands after washing, bathing or exercise.
- Be aware of the type of footwear you select. Shoes that cannot breathe and are damp or wet will encourage fungus to start or spread.
- Be careful of damp areas such as public gyms, shower stalls or swimming pools as toe nail fungus can be spread easily.
In addition use H-Nail Fungus Formula for both nail fungus and athletes foot
The Formula works by reducing the fungus in the nail bed. The product is concentrated with a deep penetrating anti-fungal action. For extra benefit, add a drop to the bath water.
When used as directed, the formula will reduce the symptoms of nail fungus such as discoloration so that your finger nails and/or toenails are restored to their former healthy appearance.
How Is It Applied?
In the case of nail fungus, apply directly to the affected fingernails or toenails, using a cotton swab, three times per day. Only a few drops per application are needed.
When tackling athletes foot, again apply to the condition using a cotton swab, allowing the formula to start working immediately and effectively.
The formula is extremely concentrated, yet gentle. Only a few drops are needed per application. Complete instructions for use will be included with your product.
How Long Does It Take?
The process varies from person to person depending on the severity of the condition. Topical use allows the formula to begin working fast to relieve the symptoms safely and gently with no burning or skin irritation.
SOURCES:
AskMayoExpert. Fungal nail infection (onychomycosis). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017.
Nail care. Natural Medicines. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/medical-conditions/n/nail-care.aspx. (Accessed August 17, 2021).
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/athletes-foot/
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.